The undersigned organizations write to urge you to swiftly restore best practice whistleblower protections for Intelligence Community (IC) contractors. These employees are currently defenseless against retaliation when they disclose government waste, fraud, abuse, gross mismanagement or a violation of law. In the absence of adequate protections, they have only two alternatives to almost certain retaliation: 1) remain silent observers of wrongdoing; or 2) make anonymous leaks. Whistleblowers must be free to report abuses of power that betray the public trust without fear. It is imperative that Congress quickly fill this accountability loophole.

In 2007 whistleblower rights were enacted for all Department of Defense (DoD) contractors, including the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency (NSA), through the FY2008 NDAA. In 2009, whistleblower rights were enacted for all contracted employees paid with stimulus funds, including other IC agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency. The whistleblower protections were successful in deterring taxpayer waste and contractor abuse, and the Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency proposed permanent expansion for all government contractors. Senator McCaskill introduced a whistleblower protection amendment for all government contractors, and won bipartisan Senate approval in the FY2013 NDAA.

However, during the closing conference committee negotiations of the FY2013 NDAA, best practice rights were enacted for all employees except those in the IC. Preexisting rights for IC contractors were removed, despite a proven track record that the law was working as intended and did not produce any adverse impacts on national security during its five-year lifespan. Based on the track record, there is no substantive policy argument for rolling back those existing rights. Contrary to concerns that court access would cause national security leaks, none even has been alleged. Contrary to predictions that intelligence whistleblowers would flood the courts, 25 cases were filed from 2008 through 2012 under the DoD contractor provision, including from the Intelligence Community.

The experience with the NDAA is not unique. Since 1986 IC employees have had the right to file False Claims Act lawsuits challenging fraud in government contracts, and to defend themselves in court against retaliation. That test has been passed without any allegations of negative side effects. Accountability should be extended beyond fraud, to cover waste and abuse as well. Similarly, 12 times since 2002, Congress has included best practice whistleblower protections as enforcement cornerstones of major remedial laws covering virtually the entire private sector, whether or not there is a government contract. [1] None has loopholes for activities involving the Intelligence Community. Again, there is no contract. record of any national security concerns resulting from these longstanding precedents.

Correcting this obvious void is essential for preserving our democracy, because the stakes could not be higher for our nation when dealing with Intelligence agency misconduct. The country cannot afford for IC contractors to remain silent in the face of evidence of wrongdoing, whether the abuse breaches security, threatens freedom, spreads corruption, or all of the above. Congress must be able to hear from insiders who have critical information regarding problems with intelligence operations. Equally important, whistleblowers should have the legal right to safely bear witness to law enforcement officers and to work within institutional checks and balances. They report misconduct to make a difference, and those are the channels that deliver results.

According to an investigation by Top Secret America, close to 30 percent of the IC workforce is contractors.[2] The investigation was partially based on interviews with officials from the IC contractor community. However, the Washington Post reported that “[m]ost requested anonymity either because they are prohibited from speaking publicly or because, they said, they feared retaliation at work for describing their concerns.”[3] Six months after IC contractor rights were rolled back, NSA contractor Edward Snowden disclosed to journalists the U.S. government’s sweeping domestic surveillance programs. When asked why he didn’t work within the system to blow the whistle, he cited the severe retaliation that previous IC whistleblowers experienced when they worked through institutional channels without rights. The chilling effect on those who are in a position to disclose misconduct is potent, and it inhibits Congress’ ability to conduct meaningful oversight.

The restoration of IC contractor whistleblower protections would help to safeguard billions of taxpayer dollars in government contracts, grants and reimbursements annually, and it would incentivize IC contractor whistleblowers to work within the system through legally protected public disclosures. There cannot be any doubt about the consequences of congressional action, or inaction, on whistleblower rights. In order to better protect taxpayer dollars, our country, and Americans’ privacy, Congress must restore whistleblower protections for IC contractors.